Apparatus for operating upon parts of shoe uppers



April 15, 1930. .1. FossA l APPARATUS FOR OPERATING UPON PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 10. 1926 E l r W W April 1 5, 1930. J. POSSA 1,754,464

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING UPON PARTS OF SHE UPPERS Filed June 10, 1926 Z5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. FossA 1,754,464

APPARATUS FOR OPER'IINGA UPON PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS April 15, 1930.

Filed June lO, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NNN fici

Patented Apr. 15, 1930 l UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE JOSEPH POSSA, OF DANVERS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE .MA-

"CHINERY CORPORATON, OF'PATERSON, NEW SERSEY, A CORPORATION OF .NEW-

JERSEY VAPPARATUS FOR OPERATING UPON PARTS OF SHOE UPPERS Application ledJune 10, 1926, Serial No. 115,113, and in Great Britain May 11, 1926.

This invention relates to apparatus for operating upon sheet material and is herein illustrated as embodied in an apparatus designed particularly to finish an edge of a toe tip of a shoe and to produce along said edge a roW of ornamental perforations.

`In the `manufacture of boots and shoes, it

`is customary,preparatory to stitching a toe tip to the vamp of an upper, to finish the rear edge of the toew tip and to produce a row of ornamental perforations along said edge. A methodof'iinishingthe edge which has recently become common is to skive the margin, to apply a shrinking heat to one side thereof, whereby the unshrunken side curls toward the shrunken side, and then to produce an ornamental. row ofperforations along said edge; and hitherto i these operationsfskiving, shrinking andl perforating-have been carried out by the use of separate machines each Wit-h its operator. i i Y According to one feature of the invention, an `apparatus is provided including skiving, shrinking and perforating mechanisms, and meansfor` presenting a. blank to andffeeding itLpast said mechanisms.` In theillustrated apparatus the skiving mechanism and 'the shrinking mechanism. are embodied in one' unit and the perforatingmechanism in another, anda blankcarrier movable ma predetermined path frominitial loadingposition past" the units and back to initial posi tioninsures that the several operations shall be performed upon the proper `localities in each blank. This apparatusnot only insures uniformedge finishing and perforatingof the blanks but increases the output of finished blanks,`paiticularly sincea plurality of can riersare employed, and reduces the labor cost.V

since only a single operator is necessary. Although, as hasf been stated, the yskiving mechanism and the shrinking mechanism, in the illustrated machine, are embodied Vin a unitary structure, it should be understood that such a combination of them in one structure is not essential. It should also be understood that certain of the mechanisms may be omit ted in case it is desired to omit one or Amore of thefoperations.`

In an apparatus in Which a"`blank is Jheld Vthe blank, it is difficult to feed-the blank properly during the operation of thecmechanism upon the Work by driving the carrier. According to another feature of the invention, feeding mechanism is associated with the operating mechanism; and, as soon as, the carrier has presented the blank to the feed ing mechanism, the feeding of the blank: is shifted from the carrier to the feeding mech anism so that during the operation of the operating mechanism upon the blank, the blank is fed past the operating mechanism uniformly in a proper manner. In the illustrated apparatus there is provided'for the carriers a driving means Which is connected-with each carrierto cause the carrier to present the blank carried by it to an operating mechanism, is thereupon disconnected Lfromathe carrier to permit the feed members of" 4the op erating mechanism to feed the blank 4(and with it, of course, the carrieryyvhile the blank is being operated upon, and is then reconnected Vwith the carrier to cause the carrier to present the blank to the next' mechanism for operating upon it;

it is desirable, in order to speed upprm duction, to employ a plurality of carriersand to provide a driving means Which moves them rapidly--much` more rapidly than they are moved by the feed members of! the mechanisms which operate upon the blanks. Consequently. While one carrier was beingymovedV comparatively slowly by the feed members `of a mechanism for operating upon the blank Which Was held by that carrier, a following carrier, 41which Was being moved by thecarrier-driving mechanism, might--ifno provision `for preventing it Were iiiade-Lengage the firstcarrier and exert a forcefuponit tending to push it ahead fastertban the feed members of the operating mechanism would permit. According, then, to another feature ofthe invention, provision is made-for disconnecting a following carrier from its driv ing meansbefore it can contact Witha carrier struction, the carriers are connected with a common driving means by means of pawls which may be lifted to break the connection; and each pawl has a tail having a cam surface which projects into the path of the pawl of the following carrier, so that, if the pawl of a following carrier overtakes the pawl of a carrier which is ahead of it, the pawl of said following carrier will ride up on the tail of the pawl of the carrier which is ahead of it and thus disconnect said following carrier from its driving mechanism.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustrative machine and pointed out in the appended clailns.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a toe tip after it has been operated upon;

Fig. 3 is a section of the toe tip on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective ofthe table at the loading station;

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the treadlecontrolled mechanism for connecting a carrier with the driving mechanism and for supplying heat to the shrinking tool;

Fig. 6 is a detail, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing a part of the skiving and shrinking mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a perspective showing parts of the skiving mechanism in separated relation;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the work-engaging` parts of the perforating mechanism;

ig. 9 is a perspective showing a piece of work in process of being operated upon by the skiving mechanism and the shrinking mechanism Fig. 10 is a perspective of the work carriers and their driving mechanism, together with a portion of the skiving and shrinking mechanisms;

Fig. 11 is a detail, principally in section, of a work carrier with a piece of work clamped therein and a portion of the table at the loading station;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the mechanism for driving the carrier; and

v Fi 13 is a perspective of certain parts of this driving mechanism in separated relation.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the illustrated apparatus comprises skiving and shrinking mechanisms, indicated as a whole at A, and perforating mechanism. indicated as a whole at B. The shrinking mechanism is substantially the same as that shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,464,650, granted August 14, 1923, upon an application filed in my name, to which reference may be made for an understanding of such parts as are not mentioned below. In the use of this machine (Fig. 9) the margin of the wnrk 100 is fed intermittently over a support 15 by a four-motion feed mechanism, the upper member of which is shown at 17, beneath a hot shrinking tool 19, the upstanding legs of which are connected, respectively, to the terminals 21, 23 (see Fig. 10) of an electric circuit. These terminals are connected (Fig. 1) to cables 25, 27 which pass into a rheostat or other suitable device for controlling the flow of current, and consequently the temperature of the shrinking tool. The tool is maintained hot enough to shrink the margin of the leather on one side thereof and thereby cause the unshrunken side (which is commonly the grain side) to curl toward the shrunken side. During the operation of the tool upon the leather, the margin of the leather is held up against the tool by a plow 29, and, as soon as the leather passes from beneath the tool, it is operated upon by a c hammer 30 (Fig. 9), which increases the curl of the edge to produce the result shown in Fig. 3. As thus far described, the mechanism is or may be substantially like that of the patent referred to above.

In order to insure a uniformly finished edge irrespective of the thickness and nature of the various pieces of leather which may be encountered, it is desirable to skive the margin of the leather preparatory to the shrinking operation. 'Io this end (see Figs. 6 and 7 there is provided skiving mechanism, including a stationary shear member 31, over which the leather is fed, and a co-operating reciprocating shear member 33. The reciprocating shear member 33 is fast to one end of a slide 35 slidable in a guideway formed in a block 37 which is fastened to the frame of the machine by screws 39. In order to hold the slide in the guideway, a cover plate 41 is provided which is fastened to the block 37 by screws 43. The lower inner end of the slide 35 is pivoted at 45 to one end of a link 47 the other end of which is pivoted to the outer end of an arm 49. The hub of the arm 49 is rotatable upon a fixed stud 51 and has extending from it a second arm 53 the outer end of which is pivoted at 55 to an eccentric strap 57, which extends around an eccentric 59 on the shaft 61, said shaft being the driving shaft for the shrinking mechanism just described. In order to hold the margin of the work down upon the work support 15 while it is being skived, a presser foot 63 (Fig. 9) is pivoted between the arms of a fork 65 which is fastened to the lower end of a stationary bent rod 67, said rod being held in a socket in the frame of the machine. A tore sion spring 7 O urges the presser foot 63 to swing down about its pivot. When, therefore, a piece of work is presented, in a manner presently to be described, to the skiving and shrinking mechanisms, it is fed intermittently over the support 15, its margin is skived, the margin of the skived side is shrunk, the-,edge is curledupl-and the curled edge is struck by the hammer.

Turning now tothe mechanism .for perforatingl the work, any suitable perforating mechanism may be used. The illustrated one, shown best 1in Figs. 1 and`8, comprises a group of tubular punches,fcarried by' a block 69, and aplunger `71 the lower flat face-of which iforms a cutting bed for the punches. The plunger has a stem73 ofV reduced diameter,which`is vertically slidable in a`crosshead 75, said cross-head being slidable upon horizontal rods 77 carried by the frame of the machine. Extending over the punch block 69 is al spring stripper 79 having a slot toreceivethe tubular punches when the leather blank is 'pressed down by the plunger to cause the'punches'to be forced through it, the stripper serving to strip the blank from the punches Awhen1the'plunger rises. The punch block 69 is carried by an extension of the cross-head 75 and moves with it in a horizontal path back and forth in the line of feed. .The plunger 71 moves back and forth with the cross-head, and is also moved up and down at thepropertimes to presstheblank against lthe punches, to `move `with the punches to feedthe work and then to rise and move backward in the line' of'feed. In

the position -of partsshown inFig. 8, the

punch block and the cross-head7 5 are in their eXtreme forward positions considered in the line of feed, and the plunger hasjust risen. 'lhe cross-head7 5 and with itV the punch block 5 69 now moves, rearwardlyto theright, the

i foot81 isprovidedlwhich descends upon the clamp of the blank carrier, presently to be described, `to .hold the blank at this timeand is lraised again .when the blank is fed .forward. `The mechanism rfor #operating the crossehead 75, the plunger 71 and the presser foot81ha`ve not been shown, since the details of their construction form: no part of the present invention and any suitable mechanism for operating thesef parts may be used.

Referring to" Figll, the skiving and shrinking mechanisms A arefastened to abcd 83. The perforating mechanism B is so mounted on the bedlthat it may be adjusted toward and from the skiving and shrinking mechanisms A, being held in adjusted position by plates,.one-oflwhichisshown at 84and cap screws 86. In order to facilitate this adjustment, `a long cap screw 85 extends loosely through aibearing 87, being held from vlongitudinal movement with* respect thereto, and

is threaded into the frame of the perforatin'g mechanism so that, when this screw is turned, the perforating: mechanism maybe adjusted in the manner which has been described.

Referring now'more particularly to Figs. 1, 4 and 10 to113the mechanism for presenting the toe tip blanks firstv to the skiving and shrinking mechanisms and then to the per forating'mechanism will be described. An upright spindle 89 (Figs. 10 and 12) isfastened at its lower' end to a base plate 91 which is adjustable on'the bed 83 toward and from the skiving and shrinking mechanisms and consequently toward and from theperforating mechanism. Rotatably mounted on the spindle 89 is a pulley'93 driven through -a belt-95from a pulley 97, said pulley being fast to a shaft 99 rotatably mounted in-a bracket101 which is adjustably fastenedby cap screws 103to thebase'plateL 91 referred to above. Consequently, when the bolts 105 which pass'through the"base`plate`91 and through slots-107 in the bed 83 are loosened andthe base plate `91 is adjusted, the bracket 101 isadjusted with it. The shaft 99is rotate-d by' a driving pulley`102 through plane tary gearing comprising 'a `stationary gear 104, a gear 106,V which is fast to the shaft 99, and two gears 108, 109 which are fast to "a short shaft -110,1said short shaft being rotatablymounted in thep'ulley `102 and said `gears1108-a`ndi109 meshing respectively with the gears l104u and i 106.

`A second bracket 1109is also carried by the base plate 91, being fastened to said base plate by cap screws lll'which pass through slotsinjthe bracketand are threaded into bosses 'formedon the base plate 91 so that the bracket may be adjusted vertically. This bracket carries la horizontal work table comprisinga wooden portion 113adjustably'fastened to the'horizontal' arm-of the bracket 109by screws 115, which pass through slots in the wooden portion, and a metal plate`117 the top ofwhich is flush withthe top ofthe wooden portion. Adjustably mounted on the plate 117 is an edge gage 119 held in adjusted position byscrews 121 which pass up through slots 123 in thewooden portion and the plate and are' threaded into the edge gage119. The heads of these screws, as will be seen from F ig. 1, 'are readily accessible. The purpose ofthis table and edge .gage is 4to facilitate placing altoe'tip properly in a carrier, presently to be described.

In the illustrated apparatus, twoftoe-tip carriers, lindicatedfas awhole at C and D, are shown, and inasmuch as these Vcarriers are alike, only one of them willbe described. Each carrier comprises a base 125`and a clamp 127. "Theclamp is pivoted at 129 to a fork 131 which is rigid with the base 125. Pivoted at 133 'between the arms of the fork is a bent lever 135 the lower curvedface ofthe short arml of which contactsy with-aleaf spring'1`37 which is fastened to the clamp 127 by a screw 139 and extends across an opening in the clamp. )Vhen the lever is turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 11, the pressure of the clamp 127 upon the work is released. At this time, a coiled spring 141, which connects the pivot 133 with the clamp 127, raises the clamp about its pivot 129 so that the operator may remove the toe tip which has been operated upon. He then puts another toe tip into position, using the gage plate 119 to facilitate the positioning of the toe tip and swings the lever 135 back into the position shown whereby the toe tip is firmly clamped to the carrier. In order to insure that the toe tip shall not under any conditions have any movement with respect to the carrier, the under face of the clamp .has a V-shaped groove 13G, shown in Figs. 10 and 11, which cooperates with a V-shaped rib on the base 125 of the carrier.

In the operation of the machine the carriers are loaded by the operator when they occupy the position occupied by the carrier C in Fig. 10. The operator then connects the carrier with its driving means in a manner presently to be described, whereupon the carrier nieves to present the toe tip to the skiving and shrinking mechanisms A. The carrier is then disconnected from its driving means, and the feed members of the skiving and shrinking mechanisms feed the work. At the conclusion of the finishing of the edge of the toe tip, the carrier is again connected with its driving means and is moved so that the toe tip is presented to the perforating mechanism. Here again the carrier is disconnected from its driving means, and the blank is fed forward by the feed members of the perforating mechanism. At the completion of the operation of the perforating mechanism, the carrier is once more connected with its driving means and is moved into the position shown in Fig. 10 at the loading station and is there disconnected from its driving means so that it comes to rest in this position.

This driving means and the manner in which the carrier is connected with and disconnected from it will now be described. The stem 143 of the carrier C (Figs. 10 and 12) is held in adjusted position in a split socket in a collar 145 by a pinch screw 147 ,said collar being fast to the upper end of a sleeve 149 which is rotatable on the vertical spindle 89.

The lower end of the sleeve 149 has integral with it a disk 151 which is perforated to permit the spindle 89 to pass through it. Pivoted at 153 to the disk 151 (Fig. 13) is'a pawl 155, said pawl having on its under side a tooth 157 which ifs adapted to engage one of the teeth 159 formed on the upper face of the pulley 93. In the position shown inrFig. 10 this pawl 155 has been lifted by riding up on a cam 161. adjustably fastened in a split bearing in a The stem 163 of the carrier D i sY collar 165 by a pinch screw 167, said collar being fast to the upper end of a larger sleeve 169, the lower end of which has integral with it a block 171 (Fig. 13) to which is pivoted at 173 a second pawl 175. This pawl has on its under side a tooth 177 which may be moved out of and into engagement with the teeth 159 on the pulley 93 by lifting the pawl or allowing it to fall. In the position of parts shown in Fig. 10, this pawl has been lifted by riding up on a stationary cam 179 and the toe tip, and with it the carrier is being fed by the feed members of the skiving and shrinking mechanisms. The pulley 93 is supported from its under side by a nut 181 and a lock nut 183, the pulley being held down upon the supporting nut 181 by means of nuts 185 and a washer 187, said nuts being threaded upon the reduced upper end of the spindle 89.

The cam 179 which cooperates with the skivingand shrinking mechanisms and the cam 189 which cooperates with the perforating mechanism are stationary and their shapes are best shown in Fig. 5. The cam 161 which arrests the movement of a carrier at the loading station in the position occupied by the carrier C in Fig. 10 is fast to a horizontal rockshaft 191 to the right-hand end of which, as viewed in Figs. 5 and 10, is attached the inner end of an arm 193 to the outer end of which a treadle rod 195 is pivoted. vWhen the treadle (not shown) is depressed to pull down the arm 193, it swings down the cam 161 and permits the pawl 155 to engage the teeth 159 on the constantly rotating pulley 93. The carrier thereupon begins its movement toward the skiving and shrinking mechanisms and continues this movement until the pawl 155 rides up on the cam 1,79 whereupon the'toe tip and with it the carrier is moved along by the feed members of those mechanisms.

It has been explained above that the shrinking tool is heated by a current of electricity the strength of which may be varied by means of a rheostat or similar device which may, for example, be the same as that disclosed in Letters Patent No. 484,110, granted October 11, 1892, upon an application liled in the name of J ames F. McElroy. Referring now to Fig. 1, this device, indicated at 197, is so constructed that pulling down a pivoted arm, the outer end of which is indicated at 199, will increase the current which passes through the tool and thereby supply more heat to the tool. Inasmuch as the'details of construction of this device for controlling the amount of current which lows through the tool forms no part of the present invention and any suitable device may be used, no further description of it will be given. The construction of the apparatus is such that when the treadle is depressed in the manner which has been described above, to connect a carrier with its driving mechanism, the arm 199 is swung down to supply heat to the shrinking tool.

To this end, the outer end of the arm 199 is connected by a link 201 with a crank 203 fast to the outer end of a rockshaft 205, said rockshaft being rotatable in fixed bearings 207, 209. This rockshaft is bent toward the observer as viewed in Fig. 1; and a tension spring 211 connected at its lower end to the rockshaft and at its upper end to the stationary work support of the skiving and shrinking mechanisms tends at all times to rock the shaft in such a direction that the outer end of the lever 199 is swung upwardly and little or no current is flowing through the shrinking` tool. The inner end of the vrockshaft 205 (see Fig. 5) has fast to it an'arm 213 the outer end of which is bent and eX- tends beneath the arm 193 so that, when the treadle is depressed to connect a carrier with its driving mechanism, the rockshaft 205 is rocked in a direction to pull down the outer end of the arm 199 (Fig. 1) and thereby supply heat to the shrinking tool. Thetreadle (not shown) is normally held up by a spring (also not shown) so that as soon as the operator releases the treadle, the treadle rod 195 and with it the arm 193 and the cam 161 swings up into their normal positions. If there were no means for holding the rockshaft`205 in the position into which it was turned when the treadle was depressed, this rockshaft would also immediately return to its initial position, and the heat supplied to the tool would at the same time be cut olf. In

order that the heat may be supplied to the tool during the time that a carrier is moving from the loading station toward the skiving and shrinking mechanisms as well as during the greater part of the operation of that mechanism upon the toe tip, means are provided for holding down the arm 213 (Fig. 5). To this end, there is fast to the rockshaft 205 a hub having an arm to which a latch 215 of hardened steel is fastened by screws 216, the outer end of said latch being adapted to cooperate with a notch 217 in a catch 219. This catch is pivoted at 221 to a stationary part of the machine and is urged at all times to swing toward the rockshaft 205 by a tension syncing` 223. In the position of parts shown in Fig. 5, the arm 213 has been swung down` ward and the end of the latch 215 is in engagement with the notch 217 so that the arm 213 cannot rise, and consequently the rockshaft 205 cannot turn in response to the pull of the spring 211 (Fig. 1). At this time the pawl 175, which belongs, it should be remembered, to the carrier D, has ridden up on the cam 179 and is moving forward with the carrier. The parts are so constructed and arranged that when the shrinking tool has completed about three-quarters of its operation upon the toe tip, the pawl 17 5 will strike the catch 219 and swing it away from the latch 215 whereupon the spring 211 (Fig. 1) will return the rockshaft 205 to initial position and thereupon decreasethe supply of current to the tool and consequentlythe heat supplied to it. Y

In order to prevent damage to the apparatus or to the work, if one carrier should overtake the one in front of it, each pawl 155, 17 5, which connects a carrier with the driving means, has a tail 225 which is bent down at its rear end'so that, if one pawl overtakes the other, the overtaking pawl will ride upon the overtaken pawl and thereby disconnect the overtaking carrier from its driving mechanism. As soon, however, as the overtaken pawl moves forward sufficient ly, the overtaking pawl swings down and thereby once more connects its carrier with the driving means.

The skiving, shrinking and perforating mechanisms and the pulley 93, which drives the carriers, are driven continuously. Assuming that the various parts of the apparatus are in the positions shown in Figs. 5 and 10, these positions are as follows The carrier C is stationary at the loading'station, its pawl 155 having run up on the cam 161 and come to rest against astop 227 (Fig. 5) on that cam. At the Sametime a spring-pressed hook 229 (Figs. 4 and 10) has snapped up into engagement with the base to prevent rebound of the carrier. `The operat-or has released the clamp 127, taken out a box toe which was operated upon, placed a new box toe in the carrier and tightened the clamp. The carrier D is in operative relation to the skiving and shrinking mechanisms A. It isresting upon a shelf 231 and being moved in the direction indicated by the `arrow in Fig. 10 by the feed members of the skiving shrinking mechanisms by reason of the fact that 'said feed members are engaging the toe tip blank 100. The pawl 175 of this carrier D has ridden up on the cam 179 so that the carrier D is disconnected from the teeth 159 of the pulley 93. The carrier D was, of course, a few moments before in the position now occupied by the carrier C. When the treadle rod 195 was pulled down to cause the carrier D to be connected through its pawl 175 with the driving pulley 93, the shaft 205 was rocked to pull down the arm 199 (Fig. 1) and thereby supply heat to the shrinking tool. This rocking of the shaft was accomplished by pulling down the arm 213 (Fig. 5) and this arm is still being held down by the engagement of the latch 215 with the notch 217 in the catch 219, and consequently heat is being supplied to the shrinking tool in sufficient quantity to maintain it at the proper temperature. As soon as the toe tip 100, which is held by the carrier D, has been about three-quarters operated upon by the shrinking mechanism, the pawl 175 of the carrier D will strike the upper end of the the axis 89. i

catch 219 (Fig. 10) and swing it away from the latch 215, whereupon the tension spring 211 (Fig. 1) will pull up the bowed-out portion of the rockshaft 205 and rock the shaft in a direction to swing up the arm 199 and thereby cut off, or cut down, the supply of electric currentand consequently the supply of heat-to the shrinking tool. The tool will, however, remain hot enough to finish the shrinking operation upon the toe tip 100.

The operator will now depress the treadle rod 195 to connect the carrier C with the driving means, and said carrier will move rapidly toward the skiving and shrinking mechanisms. Its pawl 155 will ride up on the cam 179 'ust as the toe tip blank 200 is engaged by t e feed members of the shrinking and skiving mechanisms. Meantime the carrier D will have been connected with its i driving Vmeans and will move rapidly to the perforated. At the end of the perforatingr operation the pawl 17 5 will ride off from the cam 189, and the driving means will move the carrier D with its finished toe tip into the position occupied by the carrier C in Fig. 10, said carrier C having left that position some time before as has been explained. The further operation of the apparatus is but a repetition of what has been described above, the operator standing in front of the loading station, unloading and loading the carriers and depressing the treadle at the proper times.

The purpose of the various adjustments of the axis 89, the perforating mechanism B, the stems of the carriers C, D and the work table and edge gage 119 is to adapt the apparatus for operating upon toe tips of various kinds. The rear edges of toe tips are arcs of circles the radii of which vary approximately from seven to twenty inches. The adjustment of the stems 143 and 163 in their respective pinch collars 145, 165 is to provide for this difference in curvature. When a series of toe tips of a given size and having rear edges of a given curvature are to be operated upon, the stems 143, 163 of the carriers are adjusted in accordance with the radius of curvature of the rear edges of the tips; the base plate 91 upon which the axis 89 is mounted, and the perforating mechanism B are adjusted toward or from the skiving and shrinking mechanisms A, as may be necessary; and the work table 113 and edge gage 119 are adjusted toward. or from the axis 89, the various adjustments being so made that the toe tips, when placed in the carriers at the loading station in the manner indicated in Fig. 10, will be properly operated upon when the carriers move about Although the invention has been set forth as embodied in a particular apparat-us designed to operate upon a particular kind of work, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in the scope of its application to the particular apparatus which has been shown and described nor to operation upon a particular kind of work.

The word shrinking as used throughout the specification and claims means the spontaneous contracting of an article due to a property inherent in it; and the term shrinking mechanism means a mechanism for bringing about a condition such that the article, due to said inherent property and independent of mechanical force applied to the article, will contract.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for perforating the blank having, in combination, shrinking mechanism, perforating mechanism, and means for presenting a blank to and feeding it successively past said mechanisms.

2. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for perforating the blank having, in combination, shrinking mechanism, perforating mechanism, means for presenting a blank to and feeding it past said mechanisms, said means including a carrier movable in a predetermined path, and means for holding the blank in fixed position with respect to the carrier.

3. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank having, in combination, skiving mechanism, shrinking mechanism, and means for presenting a blank to and feeding it past said mechanisms.

4. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank having, in combination, skiving mechanism, shrinking mechanism, means for presenting a blank to and feeding it past said mechanisms, said means including a carrier movable in a predetermined path, and means for holding the blank in fixed position with respect to the carrier.

5. Apparatus for operating upon a. blank having, in combination, mechanism for skiving the blank, mechanism for perforating the blank, and means for presenting the blank to and feeding it past said mechanisms.

6. Apparatus for operating upon a blank having, in combination, mechanism for skiving the blank, mechanism for perforating the blank, and means for presenting the blank to and feeding it past said mechanisms, said means including a carrier movable in a predetermined path and means for holdingthe blank in fixed position with respect to the carrier.

7. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for perforating the blank havin g. in combination, skiving mechanism, shrinkl'ifi ing mechanism, perforating mechanisn'i, and means for presenting a blank to and feel-ling it past said mechanisms.

8. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for pcrfcrating the blank having, in combination, skiving mechanism, shrinking mechanism, perforating mechanism, a blank carrier, and means for moving the carrier in a predetermined path to present the margin of a blank progressively along an edge thereof to the mechanisms.

9. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for perforating the blank having, in combination, skiving mechanism, shrink ing mechanism, perforating mechanism, a blank carrier, means for moving the carrier in a predetermined path to present the :nar-V gin of a blank progressively along an edge thereof to the mechanisms, and means for holding the blank immovable with respect to the carrier during the operations of all of said mechanisms. l

10. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for perforating the blank having, in combination, a blank carrier, an axis about Which the carrier is rotatable, and shrinking mechanism and perforating mechanism located at points in the circular path of the carrier.

11. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for perforating the blank having, in combination, a blank carrier, an axis about Which the carrier is rotatable, and shrinking mechanism and perforating mechanism located at points in the circular path of the carrier,.the axisand one of the mechanisms being adjustable With respect to the other mechanism.

12. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank and for `perforating the; blank having, in combination, a blank carrier, an axis about which the carrier is rotatable, and shrinking mechanism and perforating mechanism located at points in the circular path of the car-A rier, the axis being adjustable toward and from one of the mechanisms and the other mechanism being adjustable toward and from the axis.

. 13. Apparatus for operating upon the rear edge ofa toe tip and for producing an ornamental roW ofperforations along said edge having, in combination, shrinking mechanism, perforating mechanism, a carrier includingmeans for holding the tip, and means for moving the carrier in a predetermined path to present it properly to said `mechanisms.

14C. Apparatus for operating upon the rear edge of a toe tip having, in combination, mechanism for skiving said edge, mechanism for applying a shrinking heat to the skived edge, a carrier including means for holding the tip, and means for moving the carrier in a predetermined path to present the edge of the tip properly to said mechanisms.

15. Apparatus of theclass described hav-- ing, in combinati-on, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a blank carrier movable in a path to present the blank to and to carry it past said mechanism, and means for shifting the control of the movement of the blank from the carrier to the mechanism.

16. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, and a blank car rier adapted first to feed the blank to the mechanism, then to permit the mechanism to feed the blank and operate upon it, and then to feed the blank away from the mechanism.

17. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanisms for shrinking and perforating a blank, said mechanisms including feeding means, and a blank carrier adapted first to present the blanks to the mechanisms, then to permit the mechanisms to feed the blanks and then to carry the blanks away from the mechanisms.

18. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a carrier for the blank, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank to the feeding and operating mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means during the operation of the feeding and operating mechanism upon the blank, and for reconnecting the carrier with its driving means at the end of the operation of the mechanism for feeding and operating upon the blank.

19. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a blank having, in combination, shrinking mechanism, means for holding the blank, means for causing relative movement of`approach between the holding means and the shrinking mechanism to cause the blank and the shrinking mechanism to approach each other, and means becoming operative When the blank and the shrinking mechanism have reached a predetermined relative position, for rendering inoperative the means for producing relative movement.

20. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a carrier for the blank, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank to the feeding and operating mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means during the operation of the blank feeding and operating mechanism.

21. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism for skiving and shrinking the edge of a blank, a carrier for the blank, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank to the skiving and shrinking mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means duringthe operation of said mechanism.

22. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism for shrinking and for perforating a blank, a carrier for the blank, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank to the shinking and perforating mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means during the operation of said mechanism.

23. Apparatus for operating upon shoe arts having, in combination, mechanism for eeding and operating upon a blank, a carrier for the blank, means for holding the blank immovable upon the carrier, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank tothe feeding and operating mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means during the operation of said first-named mechanism.

24. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanisms for shrinking and perforating a. blank, a carrier for the blank, means for holding the blank immovable upon the carrier, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank to the shrinking and perforating mechanisms, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means during the operation of said mechanisms.

25. Apparatus vfor operating upon shoev parts having, in combination, mechanism for skiving and shrinking a blank, a carrier for the blank, means for holding the blank immovable upon the carrier, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank to the skiving and shrinking mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrierfrom its driving means during the operation of said mechanism.

26. Apparatus for .operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a carrier for the blank, said carrier having-means for holding the blank, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank to the operating mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means during the operation of the operating mechanism upon the blank, Whereby the blank and the carrier are moved during the operation of the operating mechanism by the blank feeding means, and for reconnecting the carrier With its driving means at the end of the operation.

27. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism for operating upon a blank, Va carrier having means for holding the blank, feeding mechanism associated with the operating mechanism for feeding the blank and therebyT moving the carrier during the operation of the operating mechanism, driving means for the carrier, and means for connecting the driving means with the carrier to cause the carrier to present the leading end of the blank to the feeding mechanism, for then disconnecting the carrier from its driving means and for thereafter reconnecting the carrier with its driving means to cause the carrier to move the blank away from the operating mechanism after the blank has been operated upon 28. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism including means for feeding and a tool for operating upon a blank, a blank carrier, means for driving the carrier in a predetermined path to present the blank to said tool, and means for disconnecting the driving means to permit the feeding means to move successive portions of the blank past the tool.

29. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism including means for feeding and a tool for operating upon a blank of a given outline, a blank carrier movable in a predetermined path so that the localities successively operated upon by the tool Will lie in certain predetermined positions on the blank, driving means for the carrier, and means for disconnecting the driving means from the carrier to permit the feeding means to move the blank and the carrier past the tool.

30. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism including means for feeding and a tool for operating upon a blank of a given outline, a blank carrier movable in a predetermined path so that the localities successively operated upon by the tool will lie in certain predetermined positions on the blank, driving means for the carrier, and means for disconnecting the driving means from the carrier to permit the feeding means to move the blank and the carrier past the tool, the construction and arrangement being such that the path of the carrier may be changed to provide for blanks of diiferent outlines.

3l. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts in a path Which is arc-shaped having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a blank carrier revoluble about a suitably located axis so as to compel the operation of the tool to take place in the desired path, means for driving the carrier to cause it to present the blank to the mechanism, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means to permit the feeding mechanism to continue the movement of the blank and with it the carrier.

32. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts in a path which is arc-shaped having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a blank carrier revoluble about a suitably located axis so as to compel the operation of the tool to take place in the desired path, means for driving the carrier to cause it to present the blank to the mechanism, means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means to permit the feeding mechanism to continue the movement of theblank and with it the carrier, and

'means forreconnecting the carrier with its driving means. y

33. Apparatus for operating upon` shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a blank carrier, an axis about which the carrier is revoluble to present ar desired locality of the blank to the mechanism, a continuously rotating driving member, operator controlled means for connecting the carrier with the member to cause the carrier to present the blank to the mechanism, and means for thereupon disconnecting the carrier from its driving mechanism to permit the first-named mechanism to feed and operate upon the blank.

34. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination,` mechanism for feeding and operatingupon a blank, a blank carrier including a clamp for holdingthe blank immovable with respect to the carrier, an axis about which the ,carrier is revoluble to presenta desired locality of the blank to the mechanism, a continuously rotating driving member, operator controlled means for connecting the carrier with the member to cause the carrier to present the blank to the mechanism, and means for thereupon disconnecting the carrier from its driving mechanism to permit the first-named mechanism to feed and operate upon the blank.

35,. Apparatus for operating upon shoe parts having, in combination, mechanism for feeding and operating upon a blank, a blank carrier, an axis about which the `carrier is ievoluble to presenta desired locality of the blank to the mechanism, a continuously rotating driving member, operator controlled means for connecting the carrier with the member to cause the carrier to present the blank to the mechanism, and automatic means then becoming operative for disconnecting the carrier from its driving mechanism to permit the first-named mechanism to feed andV operate upon the blank.

36. Apparatus for performing two separate `operations upon a shoe part having', in combination, two` mechanisms each comprising means for feeding the blank and means for operating upon it, a carrier for the blank, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank first to one mechanism and then to the other, and means for disconnecting` the carrier from its driving means duringthe operations of the two mechanisms upon theblank, whereby during said operations, the respective feeding means feed the blank, and for reconnecting the carrier with its driving means at the end of each operation; i

37. Apparatus for performing. two separate operations upon a shoe part having", in combination, two mechanisms each comprising means for feeding a blank and means for operating upon it, a carrier for theblank, means for holding the blank immovable with respect to the' carrier, driving means for the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank first to one mechanism and then to the other, and means for disconnecting the carriery from its driving means during the operations of the two mechanisms whereby, during said operations, the respective feeding means feed the blank, and for reconnecting the carrier with its `driving means at the end of each operation.

38. Apparatus for performing two separate operations upon a shoe part having, in combination, two mechanisms each comprising means for feeding theblank and means for operating upon it, a carrier for the blank, driving meansfor the carrier adapted to cause the carrier to present the blank first to one mechanism and then to the other, and means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means during the operations of the two mechanisms upon the blank whereby, during said operations, the respective feeding means feed the blank and the carrier and for reconnecting the carrier with its driving` means at the end of each operation. 39. Apparatus for performing two separate operations upon a shoe part having, in combination, a blank carrier, an axis about Vwhich the carrier is rotatable, two mechanisms for operating upon the blank located inthe circular path of the carrier, the axis and one of the mechanisms being adjustable with respect to the other mechanism.

40. Apparatus for performing two sepa-` rate operations upon a shoe part having, in combination, a bla-nk carrier, an axis about which the carrier is rotatable, two mecha'- nisms for operating upon the blank located in the circular path of the carrier, the axis being' adjustable toward and from one of the mechanisms, and the other mechanism being adjustable toward and from the axis.

41. Apparatus for performing two separate operations upon a shoe part having, in combination, a blank carrier, an axis about which the carrier is rotatable, a support for a blank having` a gage tofacilitate proper location of the blank in the carrier, two mechanisms for operating upon the blank located in the circular path of the carrier, the axis and the support being adjustable toward and from one of the mechanisms and the other mechanism being adjustable toward and from the axis.

42.' Mechanism" for operating upon afblank having, in' combination, mechanism for skiving a margin of the bla-nk, mechanism for shrinking the skived margin, and means for feedingv the blank pastsaid mechanisms.

43. Mechanism for operating upon a blank having, in combination, mechanism ior skiving a mar in of the blank, a hot tool for causing the s 'ived edge to curl, a hammer for operating upon the curled edge, and means for feeding the blank past the skiving mechanism, the tool and the hammer.

44. Mechanism for operating upon a blank having, in combination, skiving mechanism including cooperating shear members, a heated shrinking tool, and means for feeding the blank ast said mechanism and tool.

45. echanism for operating upon a blank having, in combination, skiving mechanism including a shear member over which the blank is fed and a reciprocating shear meniber, a shrinking tool, and means for feeding the blank over the stationary shear member and past said tool.

46. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, shrinking mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated, means for supplying heat to the tool, means for feeding the blank past the tool, and means becoming operative during the operation of the tool upon the blank for decreasing the supply of heat to the tool.

47. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, shrinking mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated, a blank carrier movable in a path to present the blank to said mechanism, means for arresting the movement of the carrier in a position to permit a blank to be placed in it, and means for imparting movement to the carrier tovvard the shrinking means for supplying heat to the shrinking tool and for thereafter decreasing the supply of heat to the tool. t

48. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, shrinking mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated, a blank carrier movable in a path to present the blank to said mechanism, means for arresting the movement of the carrier in a position to permit a blank to be placed in it, and means for impartin movement. of the carrier toward the shrin ing mechanism and for supplying heat to the shrinking tool.

49. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, shrinking` mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated, a blank carrier movable in a. path to present the blank to said mechanism, means for arresting the movement of the carrier in a position to permit a blank to be placed in it, and operator controlled means for imparting movement of the carrier toward the shrinking mechanism and for supplying heat to the shrinking tool.

50. Apparatus of the class described havings in combination, shrinking mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated. a blank carrier movable in a path to present the blank to said mechanism, means for arresting the movement of the carrier in a position to permit a blank to be placed in it, means for imparting movement of the carrier toward the shrinking mechanism and ior supplying heat to the shrinking tool, and means for decrea.' ing the supply of heat to the shrinking tool at a selected point in the path of movement of the carrier.

51. Apparatus ot the class described having, in combination, shrinking mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated, a blank carrier movable in a path to present the blank to said mechanism, driving means for the carrier, means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means and thereby bringing the carrier to rest in a position to permit a blank to be placed in the carrier, and means for reconnecting the carrier with its driving s means and for supplying heat to the shrinking tool.

52. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, shrinking mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated, a blank carrier movable in a path to present the blank to said mechanism, driving means for the carrier, means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means and thereby bringing the carrier to rest in a position to permit a blank to be placed in the carrier, and operator controlled means for reconnecting the carrier with its driving means and for supplying heat to the shrinking tool.

53. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, shrinking mechanism including a tool adapted to be heated, a blank carrier movable in a path to present the blank to'said mechanism, driving means for the carrier, means for disconnecting the carrier from its driving means and thereby bringing the carrier to rest in a position to permit a blank to be placed in the carrier, means for reconnecting the carrier with its driving means and for supplying heat to the shrinking tool, and means for decreasing the supply of heat to the shrinking tool at a selected point in the path of movement of the carrier.

54. Apparatus of the class described ha ving, in combination, a plurality oi' blank carriers movable in a pred etermined path, n'ieans for moving the individual carriers at different speeds at the same time, and means for preventing a rapidly moving carrier from colliding with a less rapidly moving carrier. i 55. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a plurality of mechanisins for operating upon a blank, a plurality of carriers for presenting blanks in succession to said mechanisms, means for moving said carriers at different speeds at the saine time, and means for preventing a carriei from overtaking the one iii Jiront ofnit.

56. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a plurality of mechanisms for operating upon a blank, a plurality of carriers for presenting blanks in succession to said mechanisms, driving means for the carriers, means for disconnecting a carrier from the driving means, and automatic means becoming operative when a following carrier has reached a predetermined position with respect to the disconnected carrier for disconnecting said following carrier from the driving means.

57. Apparatus for performing two oper- 'ations upon blanks having, in combination, a plurality of mechanisms each comprising means for feeding a blank andy means for operating upon it, a plurality of blank carriers, driving means for the carriers adapted to cause the carriers to present their respective blanks first to one mechanism and then to another, means for disconnecting each carrier from the driving means during the 0perations of the mechanisms whereby, during said operations, the respective feeding means feed the blanks and with them the carriers, the driving means being adapted to move the carriers faster than the feeding means moves them, and means for preventing the carriers from overtaking one another.

58. Apparatus of the class described having, in combination, a plurality of blank car- `riers movable in a predetermined path one behind another, feeding means adapted to move the carriers at a comparatively slow speed in certain parts of the path, a constantly rotating driving member adapted, when connected with the carriers, to move them at a faster speed in other parts of the path, and pawls for connecting the carriers with the rotating member, each pawl having a tail upon which the pawl of a fast moving carrier, which is behind a slower moving one, may ride to disconnect that pawl from the driving means when said pawl overtakes a pawl of a slower moving carrier.

59. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a piece of upper leather and for perforating the piece having, in combination, mechanism for applying heat to the edge to shrink it`r mechanism for forming a row of ornamental perforations along said edge, and means for presenting the piece to and feeding it past said mechanisms.

60. Apparatus for finishing the edge of a piece of upper leather having, in combination, mechanism for skiving the edge, mechanism for searing the edge to shrink it, and means for presenting thepiece to and feeding it past said mechanisms.

61. Apparatus for operating upon a piece of upper leather having, in combination, mechanism for skiving the edge of the piece, mechanism for applying heat to said edge suiiicient to shrink it, mechanism for perforating the piece, and means for presenting the piece to and feeding it past said mechanisms.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. l

y JOSEPH rossa. 

